Spring
Camel Driver to Law Student: One Man's AN ICONIC PAKISTANI Amazing MOSQUE'S Journey PLAZA IS PUBLIC ONCE MORE SPRING EDITION
Editor in Chief Christopher Fitzgerald – Minister Counselor for Public Affairs Managing Editor Richard Snelsire – Embassy Spokesperson Associate Editor Donald Cordell, Wasim Abbas Background Khabr-o-Nazar is a free magazine published by U.S. Embassy, Islamabad Stay Connected Khabr-o-Nazar, Public Affairs Section U.S. Embassy, Ramna 5, Diplomatic Enclave Islamabad, Pakistan Email [email protected] Website http://pk.usembassy.gov/education.culture/khabr_o_nazar.html Magazine is designed & printed by GROOVE ASSOCIATES Telephone: 051-2620098 Mobile: 0345-5237081
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04 EVENTS 'Top Chef' Contestant Fatima Ali 06 on How Cancer Changed A CHAT WITH the Way She Cooks ACTING DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY 08 HENRY ENSHER A New Mission Through a unique summer camp ini a ve, Islamabad's police forge bonds with their communi es — one family at a me 10 Cities of the Sun Meet Babcock Ranch, a groundbreaking model 12 for sustainable communi es of the future. Young Pakistani Scholars Preparing to Tackle Pakistan's 14 Energy Crisis Camel Driver to Law Student: One Man's 16 Amazing Journey Consular Corner Are you engaged to or da ng a U.S. ci zen? 18
An Iconic Pakistani Mosque’s Plaza 19 Is Public Once More From February 25 to March 8, English Language Specialist Dr. Lo e Baker, conducted a series of professional development workshops for English teachers from universi es across the country. The training, co-sponsored by Mission Pakistan's Regional English Language Office (RELO) and the Pakistan Higher Educa on Commission (HEC), focused on curriculum design and instruc on for teachers with less than five years of experience. E V E spri In honor of Women's History Month, the U.S. Embassy live-streamed a panel discussion on "Challenges Faced by Female Journalists." Amber Rahim Shamsi (Samaa TV) moderated the discussion and was joined by Fakhira Najeeb (Power 99 FM), Amina Amir (Geo News), Saima Imran (Nawa-i-waqt) and Sarah Hassan E D I T I O (VOA Urdu). The live audience included media and communica on students from NUST and Bahria University of Islamabad.
On March 22, the U.S. Embassy hosted “Girls Go Digital,” the first ever On March 21, the U.S. Embassy hosted young female soccer enthusiasts female coding workshop at the Lincoln Corner at the Interna onal from various football clubs around Islamabad. A endees watched the Islamic University (IIU). The three-day workshop was a ended by over 20 movie "Alex & Me" and par cipated in a virtual Q&A session with U.S. girls from various academic facul es. At the conclusion of the program, Women's Na onal Team star, Olympic gold medalist, and FIFA World Cup Angela Cerve , Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, Champion Alex Morgan. The event used sports to promote gender presented cer ficates of comple on to all the par cipants. equality.
KHABAR 04 NAZAR During his first visit to Lahore, Ambassador Paul Jones experienced Pakistan's famous hospitality in mee ngs with government, business, civil society, and media representa ves. Ambassador Jones also par cipated in the opening of an FIA regional office and a visit to the Lahore Fort. T S g
Media students from the Centre for Excellence in Journalism (CEJ), IBA learned crea ve wri ng techniques from the visi ng American poet, journalist, essayist 2 0 1 9 and translator Dr. Christopher Merrill. Merrill is the Director of the Interna onal N Wri ng Program at the University of Iowa.
On March 29 and April 4, the U.S. Consulate in Karachi and the U.S. The U.S. Embassy's weekly radio show 'Tea Time with the U.S.' celebrated Embassy in Islamabad hosted their U.S. Independence Day fes vi es Women's History Month in March by airing 4 consecu ve shows respec vely. The events featured the visi ng U.S. Central Command Air highligh ng the contribu ons of influen al Pakistani women. We Force band “Drop Zone,” which serenaded the guests from across hosted football star Sana Mahmud, author Dr. Sabyn Javeri, and Pakistan with classic and modern rock and roll, country, and pop music. singer/songwriters Maria Uner and Zoha Zuberiin recogni on of their outstanding contribu ons to their fields. Tea Time with the U.S. is aired every Tuesday between 6:00 to 7:00 pm on Radio Power FM 99. KHABAR 05 NAZAR If I lie absolutely s ll, the room stops spinning, and my stomach doesn't wretch. The men on of food makes me feel violently ill, but I've lost ten pounds in six days and I'm afraid if I don't force myself to eat I'll stop recognizing myself in the mirror.
I make a half-hearted request for daal chawal to my mother. Yellow len ls and rice. A staple in Pakistan, and something I ate o en growing up. I've surprised myself; wracked with post-chemo side effects, my brain is hardwired to derive comfort from the familiar. I start thinking about food tenta vely, tes ng out the images of biryani and karhai in my mind. The nausea stays at 'Top Chef' bay. The doctors had warned me about changes to my taste buds when I was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma—iron Contestant and rot taking over sweet and savory on my tongue. I suppose it makes sense that I would want foods with flavor to combat the blanket of cobwebs in my mouth. Was it because I'm a chef, or because I am Pakistani? Fatima Ali Maybe my iden ty is split exactly in half, and the only me I derive pleasure is when the two sides overlap. I spent years cooking all types of food in New York City on How Cancer Changed a er gradua ng from culinary school. Then, two years ago, I quit my job at one the largest restaurant groups in the Way She Cooks the country and went back to Pakistan for a few months to reabsorb the food of my childhood. I wanted to open my own restaurant back in New York. I wanted to cook the food I first knew.
I make plans to cook for the holidays in my home kitchen, despite worried protests from my family who moved halfway across the world to take care of me. They want me to rest and avoid the dangers of cuts and Fa ma Ali is a Pakistani-American Chef and 'Fan burns, but they know I can't stay away. The night before Favorite' winner of the popular U.S. cooking compe on Thanksgiving, I'm crying frustratedly in my hospital bed. show 'Top Chef.' The daughter of former A orney My own body had given itself an infec on and the General Ashtar Ausaf Ali, 'Chef Fa ' moved to the United doctors are deba ng my release. I hold my nurse's hand States at age 18 to pursue her love of cooking. Following as tears stream down my face. It could almost be her successful appearance on 'Top Chef,' Fa ma began to comical, my crying over missing the turkey. “I need to go feel a pain in her le shoulder, later diagnosed as Ewing's home and cook,” I tell her. Sarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer. Despite a seemingly successful ini al round of treatment, the Christmas and New Year's Eve are spent laying the table cancer returned in fall 2018, eventually taking her life on with dish a er dish from the kitchen. Garam masala January 25, 2019. Following her ini al treatment, roasted duck, cornbread pistachio stuffing, rose water prominent food magazine Bon Appé t published the bundt cake. Somehow the dates line up with my below essay wri en by Fa ma Ali detailing her love of chemotherapy recovery weeks, and I have the strength Pakistani food, cooking, and her fight against cancer. to spend the day slowly dicing, slicing, and icing. It feels like someone up there is looking out for me, a er all. A surgery to remove the tumor has excavated 30 percent of bone and ssue from my scapula, permanently affec ng my range of mo on. I'll never be able to high-five my friends with my le hand again. Will I be able to cook?
How will I withstand a busy Saturday night service, jumping behind the line when my sous chef can't keep
KHABAR 06 NAZAR up? Maybe I'll become the one who can't keep up. I picture myself trying to work the tandoor oven with one arm. It's a bleak thought. Establishing the perfect rhythm of slapping naan dough against the furnace-hot walls while simultaneously rota ng the skewers of various marinated meats so they don't burn to a crisp is skilled and ambidextrous work.
The edges of my thoughts are nged with worry, but I know that my love for food and cooking is so strong inside me that even cancer can't cut it down. I dream in vivid color—of Pad Thai and pas na, and, in my haze of medical-marijuana-induced munchies, I chow down, relishing every bite. (Weed has been my savior, allowing me to enjoy food again and keeping the nausea at bay during my chemo weeks.)
I dream of my future restaurant, where the kebabs melt against your tongue and the cocktails are just sweet enough to calm the burn. I have never felt more fulfilled than when I let myself crawl into bed late night a er a back-breaking day of cooking. I remember that feeling like phantom aches in my bones. Ticket a er cket, call a er call. I dream of being be er. I dream of being myself again, but I know I'll never quite be the same, and that's okay. I know I'll be different, and, despite the worry that se les into me every me I wake up, I look forward to mee ng that woman one day.
Thanks to her instagram Page
KHABAR 07 NAZAR A CHAT WITH ACTING DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY HENRY ENSHER
Henry Ensher is the Ac ng Deputy Assistant Secretary for Ques on: In your job, have you been able to meet Pakistan at the U.S. Department of State. In this role, he is a Pakistani-Americans, or the Pakistani community in the senior U.S. Government official overseeing the U.S.- U.S.? Pakistan rela onship from Washington. On a recent visit to Pakistan, he joined the Embassy's weekly radio show Tea Ac ng DAS Ensher: We've made a point recently of ge ng Time with the U.S. for a conversa on about his experiences to know be er the Pakistani-American community. It's so as a diplomat and his current work with Pakistan. The important as a way of building bridges between the two following is an excerpt of that conversa on. countries, promo ng mutual and shared understanding. Pakistani-Americans have contributed greatly to the United Ques on: What is a Deputy Assistant Secretary for States of America. So many very dis nguished business Pakistan? What do you do? people, doctors, university professors.
Ac ng DAS Ensher: That tle just means that I'm a senior I know that they're also very interested in contribu ng back official in the Department of State responsible for all aspects to Pakistan. I think as well they would do even more if they of the United States' rela onship with Pakistan. So I could be certain that the business climate, the ease of doing supervise several other State Department offices and business in Pakistan were to be improved as I know the officials to carry out our government's policy towards current government wants to do. Pakistan. Ques on: What are some posi ve steps that you've seen Ques on: Can you tell us a li le bit about yourself, what that Pakistan has made in regard to development of the made you want to join the State Department, and your energy sector? experience with Pakistan? Ac ng DAS Ensher: I think one great thing they've done is Ac ng DAS Ensher: Sure. I'm a Californian, from the state to bring to Pakistan several major American companies with of California. I was born in San Francisco, which is a famous great exper se in the energy business. I'm talking both city on the Bay, and I grew up in an agricultural area, Fresno, about hydrocarbons and also companies interested in California. Then I went to university in Los Angeles. renewables as we see huge poten al for renewables and other types of non-tradi onal hydrocarbons. Pakistan has a On why I became a diplomat, I think it was the opportunity great opportunity to use these resources to advance its to serve my country and to do it in a way that allowed for the development. We think American companies are best building of rela onships between my country and other posi oned to help. American companies are dedicated to countries in the world. I thought that was such a fascina ng transparency, to dealing fairly with partner companies and way to make a living and serve our country. with partner countries, and we think offer a great model in terms of coopera on, as well as access to the best possible About 11 years ago, I was the Poli cal Advisor to the technology. Commander of Central Command which is the military command responsible for this area. In that posi on, I was coming to Pakistan fairly frequently, but I have not visited since then. So it's been a while.
KHABAR 08 NAZAR Ques on: How do these business a n d p e o p l e - t o - p e o p l e rela onships strengthen es between the United States and Pakistan?
A c n g D A S E n s h e r : M y experience has been that there are some mes disputes between governments, and there are poli cal issues that come up that cause disagreements. However, if the rest of the rela onship is strong, if the private sectors are working together, if civil socie es have a strong rela onship, that's the founda on of a rela onship. You can see this with our best friends, our closest allies around the world. If you have that kind of rela onship it goes way beyond the governmental, and the occasional poli cal disputes just don't ma er that much. That's what we're striving for with Pakistan.
Ques on: What message would you like to share with Pakistan's youth?
Ac ng DAS Ensher: I think every individual has the responsibility to do what he or she can to be er his or her country. And I think that today's world provides so many g r e a t o p p o r t u n i e s f o r collabora on, for coopera on, but it is ul mately up to the individual to decide how they are going to help improve their communi es, improve their socie es, and to help develop their country. Having seen so many good things from the younger people in the United S t a t e s , t h a t w i t h s t r o n g coopera on between Pakistanis and Americans in par cular, there's a lot of space for real improvement in the U.S.-Pakistan rela onship and for great things to come.
KHABAR 09 NAZAR A New Mission Through a unique summer camp ini a ve, Islamabad's police forge bonds with their communi es — one family at a me by Michael Gallant
Police officers the world over are charged with keeping order, regular camp ac vi es include a course on traffic awareness thwar ng crimes, preven ng harm to the public, and beyond. and safety, presented in response to the growing numbers of But for four years now, the police force in Islamabad has added cars pouring through Pakistan's streets. a new and unexpected role to its list of responsibili es: helping kids learn and have fun. The Islamabad Capital Territory Police conducts the Summer Youth Camp each year in partnership with the U.S. Embassy's In 2018, roughly five hundred young Pakistanis from the capital Interna onal Narco cs and Law Enforcement office (INL) and city and nearby Rawalpindi converged on the Islamabad Police Interna onal Criminal Inves ga ve Training Assistance Lines for a six-week Summer Youth Camp. Any given camp day Program (ICITAP). According to U.S. Embassy program might see children escaping the summer heat in the swimming manager Shahzad Hameed, the camp was created to “bridge pool, guided by expert instructors, or learning discipline and gaps between the police and the public, and remind the public self-defense through study of the mar al art Taekwando. that police officials are human beings — just like us.” Par cipants also enjoy daily adventures like learning to shoot a bow and arrow, riding horses, and naviga ng exhilara ng Camp staff and instructors emphasize involved, collabora ve, obstacle courses. community policing, and spark rela onships among families within the community, building posi ve communica on, Many of the Camp's offerings focus on teaching key survival coopera on, and friendships in the process. skills - in a kid-friendly way. Students regularly receive prac cal first aid training, for example, with instruc on focused on If reac ons from community members themselves are any helping children preserve life, prevent harm, and promote measure, the program is a success! “I found out about the Police recovery when faced with emergency situa ons. Similarly, Lines summer camp from a few friends and we decided to send
KHABAR 10 NAZAR our children here,” commented one parent, when asked for feedback on the program. “Our experience here was great, as our children were able to find all the opportuni es and ac vi es at one place, which were hard to find elsewhere. We will definitely bring our children here next year as well.”
Other parents praised not just the ac vi es, but the safe environment in which their children explore and learn. “I was very sa sfied with their pick and drop facili es, which were very safe,” said one parent, who had three children enrolled in 2018. “This is my fi h me sending children to this camp. Over the years, they have learnt a lot of new skills and I can see a stark difference in their focus and sharpness.”
“Sending them to summer camp is just like sending them to their nanihal,” she con nued.
Parents aren't the only ones sharing glowing reviews of the Camp. “I love swimming, mar al arts, archery, and obstacles,” wrote Ahmed, an enthusias c student par cipant. “They teach us and they also take care of us.” Other students reflected Ahmed's experience, praising the fun ac vi es, friendly instructors, safe environment — and even the snacks they enjoy between adventures.
The Summer Camp program began in 2014 with over three hundred children a ending and con nues to grow. Given the program's success in engaging kids and bringing together the police and community, Shahzad expects that momentum to only increase.
If you live in the Islamabad and Rawalpindi areas and want to be involved in the fun, explora on, and adventure of 2019's Summer Youth Camp, visit to learn more. h ps://www.facebook.com/islamabadpolice/
KHABAR 11 NAZAR Cities of the Sun Meet Babcock Ranch, a groundbreaking model for sustainable communi es of the future. by Michael Gallant
Can en re communi es be powered using only the energy of the sun? It may sound like a dream, but one city on the southeastern p of the United States is turning this ideal of solar-based sustainability into a shining reality.
Babcock Ranch is a brand-new, eighteen thousand-acre community in the state of Florida, not far from the major ci es of Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Myers. The Ranch was conceived of in 2005 and acquired its first residents in January 2019. The community aspires to grow tremendously to nearly twenty thousand homes, with a popula on of fi y thousand people, in the years to come.
Core to the crea on of each house, road, streetlight, and sidewalk in Babcock Ranch is a commitment to eco-friendly innova ons and sustainability. And powering the city from the sun is just the beginning. Long before solar panels were laid and industrial ba eries wired, Babcock Ranch's sustainability efforts began, literally, from the ground up.
The city sits on territory that had been previously cleared and disturbed for farming or mining, part of a conscious a empt by the Ranch's designers to avoid further destroying forests and other natural habitats. On-site mines con nue to be tapped for construc on materials, reducing the energy and waste created by impor ng materials from far away.
The city's design also puts an emphasis on features like community gardens, which allow both local restaurants and residents to grow produce and avoid the cost, energy use, and pollu on associated with shipping in ingredients. Foliage throughout Babcock Ranch is irrigated with “grey water”—reasonably clean runoff from bathroom sinks and kitchen appliances that would otherwise go to waste.
Babcock Ranch's innova ons encompass not just construc ng a city, but naviga ng it as well. Key to the overall design is a web of walking and biking trails that provide car-free access to daily necessi es like shops and schools. The community is also developing self-driving cars, shu les, and busses, as well as special roads and sensors to help insure safety. If successful, such an advanced and highly-automated system can minimize vehicle emissions and energy consump on — another vital step towards crea ng a truly sustainable city.
Key to Babcock Ranch's ambi ous plan was not only the eco-friendly vision of its real estate developer Syd Kitson, but a completely clear site on which to build a city from scratch. “We had the advantage of a green field, a blank sheet of paper,” Kitson told CBS in an interview about the city. “When you have a blank sheet of paper like this, you really can do it right from the beginning.”
Experimenta on and innova on are central to Kitson's ongoing dream. In 2018, he told CityLab that he saw his urban crea on as “a living laboratory” centered around the goal of energy independence.
Though s ll in its infancy, Babcock Ranch already shows signs of growing from an experiment in sustainability into a vibrant community, featuring art shows, family movie nights, sports leagues, and more. Early residents have also found themselves enjoying unique benefits beyond the city's greenness. Richard and Robin Kinley, for example, were the first residents of Babcock Ranch to move in; soon therea er, the lake next to their home officially became known as “Lake Kinley.”
Beyond the borders of Babcock Ranch, many American ci es that have existed for centuries are implemen ng sustainable prac ces of their own. San Francisco, California features the first major league baseball stadium powered by solar panels, and has an expanding fleet of zero-emission public transit vehicles. Albuquerque, New Mexico houses well over one hundred companies focused on solar power technology, and over one hundred thousand homes that receive power from the sun. And Portland, Oregon instated special laws that helped elevate its recycling rate to a remarkable sixty-three percent of all trash the city produces.
What will the future be for Babcock Ranch and sustainability efforts of ci es in the United States a n d a r o u n d t h e w o r l d ? V i s i t www.babcockranch.com to follow the journey and learn more. The U.S.–Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies in Energy program Young (USPCAS-E) is a partnership between Arizona State University in the United States and two leading Pakistani universi es: the Na onal University of Science and Technology (NUST) Islamabad and the Pakistani Scholars University of Engineering and Technology in Peshawar (UET). Funded by the U.S. Government through USAID, this collabora on focuses on Preparing to Tackle applied research relevant to Pakistan's energy needs and serves as a bridge between the government, industry, and academia. The centers Pakistan's at both NUST and UET are expected to become Pakistan's premier energy think tanks to generate cost-effec ve and sustainable solu ons for Pakistan's energy challenges. The following stories profile two Energy Crisis Pakistani student scholars advancing their research at Arizona State University as part of a USPCAS-E exchange program. by Betsy Loeff Lights going off turn on scholar's interest in energy
Mehak Asad, a master's candidate at the University of Engineering and Technology–Peshawar remembers exactly when her scholas c interest began to shi to the world of energy.
“I was in my bachelor's program,” she recalls. “We had semester exams going on and, in the evenings, we had electricity outages. I realized how crucial it is to solve our energy crisis. If we didn't, millions of people would be unable to do their work.”
Mehak comes to her master's studies and par cipa on in the exchange program with a strong background in electrical engineering and a focus on communica ons. While earning her bachelor's degree, Mehak learned computer programming, as well as the ins and outs of microcontrollers, circuit analysis, data signal processing and more. This provided a solid founda on for the turn her studies took once she came to the U.S. as part of the USPCAS-E scholar exchange program and began studying at Arizona State University.
“Here, I am working on machine learning and how it can be used in power systems,” she says. “I hope that by the end of this program, I will be able to use the techniques I've learned to solve power system problems.”
Mehak also hopes to con nue her research a er earning her master's, and she's already thinking about pursuing a doctorate degree.
“It's a harsh reality that for females in Pakistan, pursuing educa on is difficult in one way or other,” she says. “USPCAS-E provides a great pla orm, especially for females.” Mehak says the support goes beyond financial aid and scholarships.
“Females are always encouraged to par cipate in different events. Also, many female students have been to the U.S. under the exchange program to get interna onal exposure,” she explains.
Mehak, who says she always wanted to be an engineer, will be the first female engineer in her family, something her parents and siblings applaud.
“My family was always a source of encouragement and mo va on for me,” she says. Loyalty to country is also a driver for Mehak.
“Pakistan has been facing an energy crisis for years,” she says. “We have been hearing about this issue since childhood, and we know the problems face by people due to unscheduled outages. USPCASE is par cularly aimed to solve the energy crisis in Pakistan. I felt that this is the correct place from which I can contribute to solve the problem.”
KHABAR 14 NAZAR On her drawing board: Fuel cell solu ons
Most people don't know this, but I am a good sketch ar st,” says Afaf Ali, a master's candidate at the University of Engineering and Technology – Peshawar. “I also do pain ng when I have enough free me,” she says.
Today, those kinds of crea ve outlets get li le of Ali's a en on. As a scholar and exchange student at Arizona State University, she's been hard at work conduc ng research related to her master's thesis, which focuses on the development of a non-pla num catalyst for the fuel reduc on reac on in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC).
Used primarily for transporta on, PEMFC generate electricity through chemical reac ons promoted through a catalyst, which usually is pla num, a very pricey element. A recent Reuters ar cle noted that pla num is some 56,000 mes more expensive than steel. Because of this, even the least expensive fuel-cell vehicles are twice the cost of similar electric vehicles. S ll, fuel cells hold great promise.
“This technology, if implemented at an economical cost, can be a breakthrough in the electric car industry,” Ali says.
Backed by this belief, she plans to pursue a doctorate while also engaging with industry to make her research prac cal and impac ul.
As a USPCAS-E scholar, Ali has also worked on wind energy and it's poten al in Pakistan, in which coastal areas have much to offer, she notes. Like most students in the program, she's commi ed to helping Pakistan overcome its energy shortages.
“Five years from now, I would like to see the commercial implementa on of my current research work,” she says.
“Facing 10 to 12 hours of power cuts in the major ci es of Pakistan surely makes you aware that something is really wrong with current energy policies and systems,” Ali says. “In rural areas, the situa on is far worse. No electricity at all. We need to generate, conserve and secure energy.”
Ali adds that when she looked at the Pakistani energy crisis a er ge ng her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, she “felt a responsibility” to be part of the energy sector.
Service to country comes naturally to Ali, perhaps because her father is a re red air force officer. The eldest of four daughters, she says her dad urged all his girls to pursue scholas c excellence.
“His efforts led me to my path and my other sisters, as well,” she says.
With her father's encouragement, Ali has gone beyond academics to pursue self- development in other areas. She's a ended a boot camp for social entrepreneurship and a ended conferences on sustainability and green energy technologies.
So, despite her ar s c talent, Ali doesn't spend her days sketching landscapes and s ll life scenes. But, she is a dedicated USPCAS-E scholar eager to return to her na ve land.
“I am looking forward to comple ng my research and being a part of posi ve change in Pakistan,” she says. “We are the future that can save our country from the immense energy crisis. That is what mo vates me.”
KHABAR 15 NAZAR Desperate to feed their family, Ramesh Jaipal's parents sold him to a business in Dubai to help train and scrub camels for 10,000 Pakistani rupees a month.
He was 5.
"I deserved love, I deserved educa on and I deserved a family, but I was scrubbing camels and racing them in the scorching temperatures of 106 degrees (Fahrenheit/41 degrees Celsius)," Jaipal told VOA.
Because the United Na ons was retrieving boys and girls like Jaipal from servitude and returning them home, he was able to go to school, but only up to the eighth grade.
Jaipal was also a rickshaw driver, a motor mechanic's assistant, a newspaper vendor, a shoe polisher and a car washer un l he worked his way up the educa on ladder, receiving master's degrees in poli cal science From Camel Driver and sociology from Shah Abdul La f University in to Law Student: Khairpur, Pakistan. This year, Jaipal, 34, completed the most recent leg on his worldwide journey: as a fellow in the pres gious Hubert Humphrey Fellowship program to One Man's study law and human rights at American University's College of Law. Amazing "I can never forget that I was once a camel jockey. … Today, I know for a fact that I am the only one among the thousands who would race for their lives like me, Journey to make it to this point. Studying in America is a Nukhbat Malik. Originally published by VOA. privilege, and only I have it among all of my fellow h ps://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-children-sold-slavery/4408611.html jockeys. It is an honor and it surely is a dream that is fulfilled."
The fellowship, administered by the U.S. Department of State, provides a $1,500 to $1,700 monthly s pend for study and living expenses.
"My family was dirt poor. I was the only son of my parents at the me, and I was hired on a salary of 10,000 Pakistani rupees [$200] a month," he recalled. "What more could my father ask for? He had to feed a family of four at the me."
Jaipal and his family are Dalit Hindus who lived in one of the poorest districts of Pakistan's predominately Muslim Punjab province, he told VOA in an interview at his apartment in Silver Spring, Maryland. For decades, southern Punjab has been a target for child trafficking.
KHABAR 16 NAZAR According to reports, more than 3,000 children as young as 3 years old from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Sudan were smuggled to United Arab Emirates to serve as jockeys for the popular camel- racing sport in the oil-rich Gulf states. UNICEF and other nongovernmental organiza ons have returned many of these children to their families.
Jaipal says young children like himself were underfed and inadequately clothed, lacked strength and energy, and faced substan al health risks. That made them perfect for the job.
"I was fit for the job because I was physically unfit," he explained. "I was weak, and I was underweight, and I could make a camel run very fast. The sheikhs, who would train us, would not know Urdu, but they did know how to say 'maaro' or 'hit the camel' in my [na ve Urdu]. They would hit me to teach me so that I could hit the camel to make it run even faster."
When he was 8, he was forced to race an untrained camel in the desert. He suffered a head injury when the camel tried unsuccessfully to throw him off his back — an injury he s ll suffers from today. Despite his head trauma, Jaipal was forced to work a few more years. In 1995, when he was 11 years old, he was rescued by UNICEF and other child advocates.
Returned to parents who sold them
"Call it extreme poverty, lack of educa on or blame it on the system, but the truth is that most of the children who would go for this sport to UAE were actually sent there because the parents would sell them," said Sarim Burney, chairman of a trust that ba les human trafficking in Pakistan. "And we would hand over these children to such parents upon their return."
No children are trafficked or smuggled from Pakistan to UAE for camel racing anymore, Burney says. But he remains concerned that several of the recovered children remain missing.
"I wish we could put a check on how these children were later treated by their parents," Burney said.
Jaipal says part of his life's mission will be to fight against child abuse in Pakistan today.
KHABAR 17 NAZAR Consular Corner Are you engaged to or da ng a U.S. ci zen? We asked the Consular Sec on at U.S. Embassy Pakistan to answer some frequently asked ques ons (FAQs) and bust some common myths about K1 fiancé visas
Ques on: What is a K1 visa? Ques on:What should I bring to the visa interview?
Answer: K1 visas are for fiancés of U.S. ci zens. If you've Answer: Please bring photos of your engagement had an engagement ceremony (mangni) with your fiancé ceremony, photos of you and your fiancé together, and are planning to get married in the United States, then records of communica on with your fiancé, and anything you might consider applying for a K1 visa. else to show you are in a rela onship. The Consular Officer is looking for you to prove you're in a genuine Ques on: Are K1 visas faster than marriage visas? rela onship so the more evidence you bring, the easier it will be for us! Answer: Not at all – this is a common misconcep on. Every case is different, but in many cases K1 visa Ques on: Easy – I have so many pictures on my phone! I processing mes are almost exactly the same as can bring my phone, right? processing mes for marriage immigrant visas. Answer: Unfortunately not! Due to security restric ons, Ques on: Can I apply for a K1 visa if I've only signed the visa applicants aren't allowed to bring phones into the Nikah Nama? U.S. Embassy. We recommend you print your photos and chats so you can show them to the visa officer. Answer: No. Under Pakistani law, if you've signed a Nikah Nama you're legally married, so you won't be eligible for a K1 visa. Applying for a K1 visa when you're already married can have serious consequences, including a permanent ban on travel to the United States.
KHABAR 18 NAZAR An Iconic Pakistani Mosque’s Plaza “a testament to the city’s rich and m u l l aye re d h i s t o r y.” Th e Is Public Once More restora on took 20 months, with workers digging 2.5 meters to By Lauren Monsen – ShareAmerica.gov separate the exis ng street level and the original ground level of the The 17th-century Wazir Khan Mosque $1.2 million project. Since its crea on Chowk’s forecourt. They also built in Lahore is one of Pakistan’s in 2001, the Ambassadors Fund has a retaining wall around the architectural gems, a masterpiece from awarded $55 million to nearly 900 perimeter. Workers also conserved the Mughal era. But for years the projects in 125 countries for the the Dina Nath Well, a 19th-century Chowk, or public square, in front of the preserva on of cultural sites, objects, landmark in the northeast corner of mosque was neglected. No more. The and forms of tradi onal expression. the square. Chowk now has been painstakingly Congress, in the statute establishing restored, thanks in part to the U.S. the Ambassadors Fund, said: “Cultural The Chowk now func ons as a Department of State’s Ambassadors preserva on offers an opportunity to mee ng place a er prayers and Fund for Cultural Preserva on. In show a different American face to regularly hosts community and 2012, the Walled City of Lahore other countries, one that is non- cultural gatherings — including Authority decided to reclaim the commercial, non-poli cal, and non- Pakistan’s first-ever Biennale, an neglected Chowk. With guidance military. By taking a leading role in arts fes val in Lahore that took from experts at Aga Khan Cultural efforts to preserve cultural heritage, place in March. In a boost to Service Pakistan, conserva onists we show our respect for other cultures Lahore’s economy, the site is drew up plans for the restora on. by protec ng their tradi ons.” a rac ng more tourists as well. The Wazir Khan Chowk project is The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural At the reopening ceremony in the largest of the 19 projects the Preserva on joined the Walled City of November 2017, then–U.S. Consul Ambassadors Fund has supported Lahore Authority and the Aga Khan General Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau in Pakistan, and its success hints Cultural Service to underwrite the said the Wazir Khan Chowk stands as that it won’t be the last.
KHABAR 19 NAZAR Credit to Saif Hassan, Lahore
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